Horse unveils methanol powered range extender

HORSE Powertrain has revealed an innovative methanol-powered range extender (hybrid) designed to improve the practicality of battery electric vehicles, combining a high-efficiency combustion engine with one of the automotive industry’s first mass-market axial-flux generators.

Unveiled following its debut at the Beijing Auto Show, the Horse D20 Methanol powertrain has been developed for range-extended electric vehicles (REEVs), using a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine running exclusively on methanol to generate electricity rather than drive the wheels directly.

The compact 170kg unit integrates the combustion engine, generator and power electronics into a single package capable of producing up to 105kW of electrical output.

Horse says the technology offers a practical alternative for markets where charging infrastructure remains limited, while also providing a lower-emissions pathway for electrification.

A key innovation is the adoption of an axial-flux electric motor mounted directly to the engine’s crankshaft. Unlike conventional radial-flux motors, the disc-shaped axial design delivers substantially higher power density while reducing overall packaging requirements.

According to Horse, the motor is 46 per cent shorter than an equivalent radial-flux unit while producing 63 per cent more power per unit of volume. Electrical efficiency is claimed at 96.4 per cent.

The company says the complete powertrain achieves a fuel-to-energy conversion efficiency of 47 per cent, producing approximately 1kWh of electricity from every 2.1kWh of methanol consumed.

From a practical standpoint Horse estimates that 19.6 litres of methanol is sufficient to recharge a 40kWh battery pack, potentially providing a significant reduction in charging downtime for extended-range EVs.

Unlike conventional hybrid systems, the D20’s combustion engine is used solely as an on-board electricity generator, allowing the electric motor to remain the sole source of propulsion.

The turbocharged engine incorporates a high-energy ignition system capable of ultra-lean methanol combustion and can start on pure methanol in temperatures as low as -35°C.

Horse says the system complies with both China’s CN6b emissions regulations and forthcoming Euro 7 standards.

The company believes methanol offers an additional pathway towards lower-emission mobility alongside battery-electric, hydrogen and synthetic fuel technologies, particularly in markets capable of producing renewable or low-carbon methanol at scale.

Horse Powertrain chief technology officer Fortune Zhao said the D20 demonstrated how conventional combustion technology could continue evolving alongside electrification.

“The Horse D20 Methanol is one of our boldest statements of intent so far,” he said.

“Its combination of alternative fuel capability and axial-flux motor technology delivers exceptional compactness and efficiency while demonstrating one of the first applications of this technology in a mass-market automotive powertrain.”

Horse Powertrain is jointly owned by Renault Group and Geely and supplies powertrain technologies to manufacturers including Volvo Cars, Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors, Proton, and Renault.

As global manufacturers pursue multiple pathways towards lower vehicle emissions, the D20’s range-extender technology could play an important role in markets where charging infrastructure and long-distance travel remain barriers to full battery-electric adoption.